Self-compassion and reasons individuals stop eating: An exploratory investigation

BackgroundSelf-compassion is a prevalent factor that has been explored in eating behaviour and weight loss literature. The present study explored the potential relationship between self-compassion and reasons individuals stop eating.MethodTwo hundred and eighty-three participants were recruited from social media platforms and a research participation scheme at a university in the West Midlands, UK, and completed questionnaires on self-compassion and reasons individuals stop eating.ResultsThe findings suggested that self-compassion was negatively associated with decreased food appeal, self-consciousness, and decreased food priority, whilst being positively associated with physical satisfaction.ConclusionSelf-compassion plays a prevalent role in the reasons individuals stop eating, and future research should continue exploring the effect of self-compassion on eating behaviour regulation.